Folsom Lake
by Shazzie
Summary: When Lisbon is abducted Jane is lost. He will go to any lengths to get her back, and kill the man that did it. Will this be Red John's final stand? Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own the mentalist, I do not make any money from Fan fiction- Who know writing a story could be so depressing?

XXX

It was like a song, the CBI office. One endless piece of minimalism, only little things ever changing in the big scheme of things. Patrick Jane knew that; Patrick Jane saw it in action. Every second of every minute, every minute of ever hour, every hour of every day, every day of every week, every week of every year Patrick observed this song in action. Listened to it's every beat; It's every success; it's every failure; it's every change. He observed every change. He noted every change. He analysed every difference. And yet, he missed so many things. Getting caught up in the details, it left him ignorant to the broadest strokes of the paint brush. Missing these things could - would- cost Patrick Jane more than he could ever imagine, but he wasn't to know that for some time yet. He wasn't to know of the dangers in place- the trap that had been set- until he was caught. Until he and everything-every_one_- he loved was gone.

Patrick Jane just didn't know that yet.

XXX

Click. Click. Click. Constant typing. The first part of the song. Hard nails hitting plastic keys- short stubby fingers making contact with the buttons of a mouse. The feminine sound of Van Pelts typing as her fingers flew from one key to another. Cho's page turning of the most recent novel that was so big it would fill a bottomless hole. Rigsby chewing on a pen, already considering what his excuse would be to go and empty the fridge again. All just notes in the song; words to the poem; stem to a flower. _These are the people who hold the world together, _Patrick Jane smiled as he continued starring at the roof of the CBI building, lying on his couch. He hadn't yet noticed the little change of the day. The missing note in the song. The spelling mistake made by the poet. The footsteps of a person filled with rage became apparent, as Jane smiled at the thought of the argument that was about to occur.

"Where is Agent Lisbon?" La Roach bellowed oncee he was standing just a few feet away from each agent. "She isn't answering he phone and hasn't come to see me, as I asked her to." His eyes filled with rage as he looked at the bewildered agents.

"Where. Is. Lisbon." His jaw clenched as Cho stood at full height. Despite being several inches shorter than everyone else, he was still intimidating. Screw intimidating, Cho was damn right terrifying.

"Calm down, La Roach. I'm sure everything is fine. Personally, I haven't seen Lisbon today, but I think she is in her office. You need to calm down before yo-"

"She is not in her office, Cho. YOU REALLY THINK I DIDN'T LOOK THERE FIRST!" He shouted in the younger Agent's face. Cho's jaw locked. "Find me Agent Lisbon. Now."

La Roach turned on his heel and stormed out off the office. Cho dropped the stress ball he has been destroying and looked at his team.

"Has anyone else spoken to Lisbon today?

Jane sat up on his sofa and looked for everyone else's responses as he shook his head to indicate no himself. Rigsby and Van Pelt shook their heads too.

"It's 10AM and she's not here. That isn't just lateness. Van Pelt, try calling her. If there is no reply we will go to her apartment. Rigsby, start doing backgrounds on her. Find out if she has any family in the state. Find out if there is any reason she would have just picked up and left like this- family emergencies, anniversaries, anything. If you find nothing there, start looking at her old cases and see if anyone has been let out or if there are any family members of the people she has put away that have had an opportunity to get to her. I'm putting a BOLO out on her." Cho said, taking charge instantly.

"Cho?" Van Pelt piped up a few moments later. She had just put her phone down, after clearly having had no success with calling Lisbon.

"There's no answer. I did a GPS on her phone…" Van Pelt swallowed nervously, looking down.

Clearly the urgency of the situation had just begun to hit her. Jane swallowed and walked out of the room, picking up his car keys from the desk.

"Her phone is at the bottom of Folsom lake, in Folsom."


	2. Chapter 2

_Previously: _

"_There__'__s no answer. I did a GPS on her phone__…"__ Van Pelt swallowed nervously, looking down. _

_Clearly the urgency of the situation had just begun to hit her. Jane swallowed and walked out of the room, picking up his car keys from the desk._

"_Her phone is at the bottom of Folsom lake, in Folsom.__"_

XXX

Rigsby blew open the door to Lisbon's apartment after several failed attempts at knocking. He stepped over the broken door and into the well-decorated apartment. Its light green walls were covered in blood and hand marks, with spit and alcohol sprawled around in a few areas of the wall. Cupboards were overturned, with papers and files having been chucked everywhere in the mess. Behind the remains of one cupboard was a safe, with a dent in the middle. The carpets had been turned up and they were also stained with blood and alcohol. As Rigsby moved forward in the small apartment, Jane closely on his heel, he looked upon the mess that had become of Lisbon's world. The couch in the living room had been torn to shreds and more cabinets and files had been overturned and destroyed. In the kitchen, there were more signs of a struggle. A knife littered with blood along the blade and plates of china thrown across the room. Rigsby looked at the consultant that was now standing open-mouthed at the scene in front of him.

"Please tell me this all means she's just a bit of a slob. Like that messy woman make great lovers thing you said? Maybe… Maybe she took that to heart?" Rigsby said as he looked again at the scene in front of him. Jane darted from the room, and made his way through to the only closed door.

Rigsby, following, noticed that flower petals had been scattered around the doorway. He followed Jane into the bedroom where his Boss lived, not knowing that once he turned out of that room, he would never sleep the same again.

Lisbon's bedroom was painted cream, and blood was smeared all over the walls. On the cabinet next to her bed was a glass of whisky, spilled over to create a stain on the floor. The whole room had rose petals scattered along every surface- the bed- the cabinets- the wardrobe- the floor. Rigby's heart stopped as he looked towards Lisbon's bed.

A smiley face. Painted on the wall, with a message. A message written in deep red blood. A message that would change their lives forever,

_Can you find her, Patrick? _

XXX

"Van Pelt, what did you find at the lake?" Cho's voice spoke over the bubble of nose and rumours created by Lisbon's disappearance.

"I got her phone. I'm just retrieving the data, there might be something important."

"Rigsby tell me about the apartment again?"

"I.. It was… I-"

"No. The apartment wont mean anything. I doubt that all of that blood was hers- Red John is a showman. He will have done anything and everything to have made it look worse. We need to look at previous Red John cases. We need to narrow down the suspect list, and figure out why he would take Lisbon." Jane spoke up.

"Ha. As if ,Jane. We all know that Lisbon is hopelessly in love with you, and you feel the same, so stop fighting it and help us! We don't need to figure out why- we already know why!" Van Pelt shouted at Jane, her frustration clear in her voice.

"Yeah. You're right. I'm hopelessly in love with Lisbon but we never acted on it!"

"So we know why she was taken! Now we just need to catch Red John. Well isn't this just the easiest case we've ever had!" Rigsby practically screamed.

"Calm down guys. This isn't going to help Lisbon" Cho spoke over the nose of the restless agents. "Jane, we need you to contact Red John. We need to find a way to get in touch with him, find out what it will take for him to let Lisbon go."

"How exactly do you plan on doing that, Cho?" Van Pelt spoke, clearly still annoyed.

"Lorelei Martins."

XXX

"Agent Lisbon, I is lovely to see that you are awake! After that head wound, we were worried you would not awaken from your slumber!" A high pitched voice enthralled her.

She opened her eyes to reveal a huge light. She felt momentarily dizzy before she began to take in her surroundings. She sat in a light room, painted white with a beautiful huge window. The window revealed a sea view. Marvelling at its beauty she wondered how she had gotten there. Her hands were tied tightly behind her back, and her feet secured to the chair she was sitting on. The wall to her left held a image. One image that would have stopped her from being afraid, had it been painted differently. Would have stopped her from being afrad, if she hadn't have realised where she was.

"Jane.. Why are we.. Why am I at.. Jane.. Malibu.. Angela and Charlotte…" She questioned dizzily.

"You are very intelligent, Agent Lisbon. Yes, we are at Jane's house in Malibu. Yes, I'm going to kill you. But not before I've had my fun."

He towered above her, wearing a black cloak and weird mask. His voice was high pitched ad almost funny. The parting in the cloak revealed a suit, like one would ware at her place of work. He reached out with long slender fingers, revelling a camera. He flicked it open and turned it on.

"Now, Miss Lisbon, if you tell them where we are, I shall kill you. Say cheese, Teresa." He laughed as she flinched away from his touch.

He reached out towards her, camera still in one hand, and smacked her face. Hard. Lisbon could feel tears bubbling in her eyes as he pulled her face back to the camera.

"Beg me to stop. Beg me to let you go!"

"Never.." She spat on him.

"BITCH!"

He slapped he face again hard. Ripping off her top he punched her stomach. He hit is again and again. Breath evaded her. Life was slipping through her fingertips as she began spitting blood. Couging mounts of blood for the camera.

"That's a good little girl, Teresa. Now look up. I SAID LOOK UP!" He grabbed her face again, focing her eyes to make contact with the camera. He then produced a knife. She retreated immediately as he pressed the blade of the small pocket knife to her cheek.

"Beg for me to stop, Teresa. Beg for Patrick to come and save you. I SAID BEG!"

She gave him a look of death as she spit on him again.

He pressed the knife against the blades of the knife again, leaving trails of hot marks down both sides of her face. The cuts extended from her cheek bone to the corner of her mouth on each side.

"Beg" His voice was barely a whisper as he withdrew the knife from her face.

"No."

The knife plummeted into her shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously:_

"_Beg__"__ His voice was barely a whisper as he withdrew the knife from her face._

"_No.__"_

_The knife plummeted into her shoulder._

XXX

Patrick Jane was lost. Not litterally. He knew exactly where he was. He was sitting in the CBI office. He was sitting on Lisbon's couch, in the CBI office. He didn't know who he was. Yes he did. He was Patrick Jane. He was hopelessly in love with Teresa Lisbon. He had lost his family, ten years prior to a serial killer called Red John. He knew where he was. He knew who he was. But he was lost.

He was lost because she was lost.

Missing.

Gone.

Dead?

No. Not dead.

Missing, yes. Gone, defiantly. Dead? No

She couldn't be.

Could she?

No. He had to stop thinking like that. He was a Mentalist- he observed and deduced. He was jumping to conclusions. He had no reason to believe she was dead. If she was, Red John would have left her somewhere for Jane to find, not kept her body away for this long. This thought gave him hope. He was going to find her, if it was the last thing he did. He thought of the last time he had said these words as an image of Charlotte and Angela popped into his head. They were laughing, playing. Then they were dead. He saw their dead bodies, blood scattered around them. The smiley face. The smiley face painted on the wall in his wife and child's blood.

Then he saw her. Lisbon. Lying on the floor in front of him. She was ghostly pale, with knife wounds around her torso and neck. Her face was fine. Those huge, emerald eyes stared at him. Her beautiful brown hair was scattered around her, like a pillow… those eyes…

He awoke with a start. It was well past midnight as he stood, going to make himself a cup of tea. Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho had all gone home. Nothing left they could do- not without a few hours sleep.

Opening the PG Tips box he felt himself becoming alive with anxiety and stress. A USB. Just sitting there. A red USB with the letters RJ carved into the side. He flicked his phone open.

"Cho" A deep voice answered lazily.

"Cho, it's me. I found something. It's important."

"I'm on my way."

"I'll call Rigsby and Van Pelt. Get here, as quickly as you can."

XXX

"_Beg__"__ His voice was barely a whisper as he withdrew the knife from her face._

"_No.__"_

_The knife plummeted into her shoulder._

Her screams filled the deserted office as the team stared down at the screen. Cho stood, his face as cold and unreadable as ever. Rigsby looked a little green. Van Pelt gripped Rigsby as if her life depended on it. Jane stood, his face the image of fury and hatred.

"_BEG!"_

"_N.. noo.." _

_His fist met her face._

"_TELL ME TO STOP! ASK ME TO STOP!"_

He hit her. And again. And again. Blood dripped down her face. She has a cut above her eye, and bruises were beginning to appear. The cuts down her cheeks had stopped bleeding, and started to scab over. He took the edge of the scab and ripped it off of her face, leaving her screaming in pain.

"_Come and find her, Patrick Jane."_

And that was it. The video cut off. Gone. Nothing. A pregnant silence took over, as the agents stared at the last thing they had from their boss.

"Can you see where they are?" Rigsby asked, without actually directing the question at anyone.

"There might be a reflection in her eyes… But I would have to… I would have to look at that… that video again.." A tear rolled down the agents face.

"You have to do it, Van Pelt. Please. You have to find her."

Fear flashed in her eyes as she nodded, taking a step closer to the images in front of her. She enlarged Lisbon's eyes, showing a clear reflection. In said reflection, you could see the camera, and a cloaked man. Behind the man was a window, with a clear view of the sea.

"I know where they are."

_XXX_


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously:_

_Fear flashed in her eyes as she nodded, taking a step closer to the images in front of her. She enlarged Lisbon__'__s eyes, showing a clear reflection. In said reflection, you could see the camera, and a cloaked man. Behind the man was a window, with a clear view of the sea. _

"_I know where they are.__"_

XXX

Jane jumped out of the CBI van, closely followed by Cho Van Pelt and Rigsby. It was strange for him, being back at his house. Like nothing had happened. He could still smell the haunting smells that he came home to every day before Red John. He could still see their smiles, hear their laughter. He could still feel his wifa and child, as he began jogging up to the residence.

"Jane, we need to wait. SWAT hasn't gotten here yet! They will be here in 10 minutes, Jane!" Van Pelt pulled him back,

"We haven't got time- If he realises we're out here, Lisbon's dead! We need to go in now!"

Despite everything, the agents knew he was right. They had to go in now, or risk their boss's life. Again. Risk everything in the hands of Red John.

"He's right, We have to go now. Van Pelt, you take the back entrance, Rigsby cover the window door. Jane stay behind me." They nodded and separated.

Cho quietly entered the building, heading upstairs. There was no need for him to look donw here, he knew she would be upstairs. Jane pulled him back.

"Give me a gun, Cho"

"No"

"Give me a gun"

"No"

"Cho!" He whispered franticly.

"No."

"The three of you will be dealing with him. I'll get Lisbon and I'm going to need to be able to protect her!"

"No."

"This is Red John."

"Exactly."

"Cho, I care more about keeping Lisbon alive than I do killing Red John"

"I don't believe you."

"What happens if his accomplices show up, and I cant protect her! We will all die!"

"No."

"Please"

"I'm not giving you a gun."

"Please. Cho. Please."

The agent sighed and reluctantly handed Jane a gun.

"Don't shoot me."

Jane nodded as they turned, preparing to go into the room Lisbon was being tortured in.. They heard her screams and cries as he killed her a little more.

"Lets do this"

Mere seconds later, Jane found himself standing in Charlottes bedroom. His daughters bedroom. The smiley face on the wall, the little upturns on the carpets- nothing had changed since he was last there. Nothing. Except Lisbon. She sat there, blood covering each and every inch of her. There was a small cut above her right eye, and bruises covering the entirety of her face. She had a busted lip, and lockets of her hair lie scattered around the room. There was a stab wound to her shoulder, and another to her right thy. Lines of blood made her look like a Halloween costume, especially those that had come from the two deep gashes on her face. Her top had been ripped to piece, and her body was already bruising over. Heavily. She had scratches from the knife running up and down her sides, cutting through the thin bra she wore. Her feet were cut on the bottom, and the rope tying them to the chair was broken. She had tried to fight. Tried to run. '_Atta Lisbon _he found himself thinking, as he leaned forward to pick her up and walk her out. Her breaths were jumpy as he pulled hr into his arms.

He heard gunshots as he turned to leave

XXX

"How is she?" Jane asked the doctors who were working on his boss.

"Stable. She will be fine,, eventually. The knife wounds missed any major arteries, and nerves, so she should make a full recovery if she makes it through this surgery. All hope lies on her living through this surgery." The doctor turned to leave.

"Wait! What about Van Pelt? Will she be OK?" Patrick Jane asked again. _Why was he in this situation again? Because he had been an idiot. _He thought.

"Agent Grace Van Pelt was shot in the lower right long. Although she is very jump and short of breath she will also make a full recovery, with time. Grace is in the ICU now, so you can start visiting one at a time in a few minutes, sir. But you will have to be patient with her." The doctor finished, walking away.

"Did anyone think to call Lisbon's family?" Rigsby asked.

"I don't vent know if we told them she was missing. I'm pretty sure she only has her brothers, and a few distant aunts and uncles in Ireland. I… I'll call them, in a sec." Jane finished.

"Lisbon's Irish?" Rigsby asked, a small smile playing at his lips. "I didn't know that. I might have to use that…"

"Maybe there's a reason you didn't know, Rigsby" Cho joked as the bigger man went in first to see the Rookie of the team.

Jane smiled a little as he took out his phone and dialled Tommy Lisbon's number. He still had it from when he had met the boy, a few years back. It rung three times before Tommy answered.

"Hello?"

"Tommy, it's Patrick Jane"

"I have this thing called caller ID you know" Tommy chuckled down the line.

"Tommy, you and your brothers are going to need to come and visit. Soon."

XXX


	5. Chapter 5

_Previously:_

"_Hello?"_

"_Tommy, it__'__s Patrick Jane__"_

"_I have this thing called caller ID you know__"__ Tommy chuckled down the line._

"_Tommy, you and your brothers are going to need to come and visit. Soon.__"_

XXX

Three huge men pushed into the hospital room. All of the men had bright emerald eyes and slightly curled short brunette hair. Though all were huge, the biggest was by far the most intimidating. He stood at an easy 6 foot 6" , and was well toned. His face was sharp and although his features were softer than the other boys, he was still a terrifying man. As to who was the youngest, that was obvious. It was Tommy, the only one the CBI agents recognised and weren't terrified of.

"Where is she" His voice was deep and controlling. As he spoke, the muscles in his neck became apparent. It was beyond obvious to anyone that saw this man that he was well toned, he worked out a lot.

"Sir?" Cho stood. At his full height, Cho was barely a ¾ of the size this huge man was.

"I'm James Lisbon, I'm Teresa's third-born brother. Where is she?" His deep voice unnerved them all. The second of the brothers stood forward. He was smaller, only a few inches taller than Jane. His features were hard and he too was one of the most muscular men any of the CBI team had seen.

"Cool it, James. They're her team, not her captors. Hi, I'm Daniel. I'm the last-born." He held his hand out for each of the three men.

"Right. Only you could keep this cooler a head when _Teresa _could have died today! The only parent we ever knew could have been killed- and you forgot to tell us!" His anger was now pointed toward the members of the CBI team.

"Dammit James! Could have! She didn't you-"

"I always told her this wasn't where she needed to be. She's going to go and get herself killed and you-" Daniel cut James off.

"Don't even go there." Tommy spoke up.

"That's too far, James." Daniel agreed.

"We would never." Tommy looked outraged.

"Neither would you." Daniel spoke again.

"You're not him" Tommy said.

"Neither are we." Daniel added.

"You don't know that" James spoke quietly looking down for a second, before he pulled himself up and looked towards the members of the CBI, his walls built back up.

The CBI team members stared in confusion.

"Excuse me?"A frightened nurse with bleach blond hair walked in. "Teresa Lisbon?"

"That's us." James looked towards the nurse.

"She just got out of surgery. She is starting to stir, and wont be asleep to much longer."

"Thank you. We'll be right through." James spoke.

"Do you mind, guys, if we go in first? I mean.. we're practically her kids?" He smiled at the remark.

The other CBI agents nodded and two of the brothers followed, but one was stopped by a nurse.

"Only two at a time. I'm sorry sirs, one of you will have to stay."

"That's not a rule." James said.

"No its not" Daniel said too.

"Yes, it is sir. Only two family members, or one non-relative at a time. If you want, one of you can wait in the office?" She looked hopeful at this.

"You're lying to us."

"You shouldn't lie to us."

"We know these rules inside and out."

"Our ma was a nurse."

"Don't lie to us about nursing."

The nurse looked overwhelmed, as did the members of the CBI. They al smiled to themselves. All three of the boys walked into their big sisters room.

"Wow. Hardcore family. What a gene-pool." Rigsby said, after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah. They're all just like Lisbon." Cho piped up.

"Are you being sarcastic…"

"Meh. Maybe, they're a bit like her but that James has a bit of a temper." Cho said.

A pregnant silence filled the room. Seconds later, the door of Lisbon's room smashed closed and James stormed out. Daniel followed closely on his heel.

"What the hell is your problem James?"

"SHE IS GOING TO GET HERSELF KILLED!"

"Calm down! She's a cop, surrounded by cops, doing cop crap every day!"

"Exactly! That's the life you want or her?"

"Stop acting like you're her dad! It's her life she can choose how to live it"

"You think mum would have wanted her to live like this? You think dad would have-"

"Dad didn't give a damn about her or us. You know that just as well as I do."

"Dad did care. He was a good man. He was a good man who made some bad choices."

"Ha! Bad choices my arse! We didn't see halve the beetings she did! You know she took them for us, don't you! She stood in front of dad and shut us in our rooms! God knows what he did to her! The only time she couldn't protect us was when she was kept behind at school to talk to Child Services."

"Exactly. She was our mother. I can't even remember what our actual _mother _looked like! You really want this for her!"

"What! You think I want for our sister to be living in a dangerous job, with no family, no relashionships-"

"She's 40 for God's sakes! She is going to get herself killed!"

"Guys, calm down! I'm sure Lisbon wouldn't want you arguing over this."

"You have no idea what this is about, so stay put of it." James snapped.

"James, I get it. You feel protective of your sister." Jane said again, trying to calm the boys.

" You don't get it, do you. She's not just our sister. You know she gave up a halve scholarship to a great college because it would have meant she couldn't pay for us to go to college, so we would have dropped out when we were 16? Did you know she spent the first 7 or 8 years of her salaries on us, after our dad pissed away out trust money?"

"I.. No…I didn't know that."

"So stick your nose out. She's ruining her life, because she's afraid she will end up like dad!"

"We're all afraid we will end up like dad!"

"James.. Daniel.." Her soft voice startled them all, as they turned to see tears streaming donw their brothers face as he clinged to his big sisters hand, sitting on her bedside. "Don't fight. Please, don't fight…"

James turned and walked out of the hospital as Daniel walked into the hospital room, closing the door behind him.

"Well. Five minutes and we already know that two of the four Lisbons cant stand to be in the same room as each other."

Cho smiled as he sat next to Jane, who was now looking towards the door to Lisbon's room.

Muffled laughter and the sound of tears were heard through the door, just moments later.


	6. Chapter 6

_Previously:_

_James turned and walked out of the hospital as Daniel walked into the hospital room, closing the door behind him._

_"Well. Five minutes and we already know that two of the four Lisbons can't stand to be in the same room as each other."_

_Cho smiled as he sat next to Jane, who was now looking towards the door to Lisbon's room._

_Muffled laughter and the sound of tears were heard through the door, just moments later._

XXX

It had been a week since Teresa Lisbon had been removed from her abductors custody. It had been a day since she had left the hospital.

Her injuries had been severe, sure. But she had survived. He shoulder and leg had healed remarkably quickly, though she was still on a single crutch, and occasionally a wheel chair. Her feet were padded all the time to enable walking, but they were on the mend to. She was still black and blue, but the bruising was beginning to fade. The knife makes on her face would scar.

Teresa Lisbon sat on her couch, her head on the back of the couch, "relaxing". Tommy had left to be with Annie the day before, Daniel was staying with her and she hadn't seen James since the hospital incident. Her apartment was still a mess- the walls had been cleaned, the furniture turned the right way up, but papers still littered the floor, and under those were layers upon layers of blood. _That's gunna be hard to get out, _she thought, sighing at the amount of forms she was going to have to do about this.

"Core, anyone would think you'd just killed a man sis." She jumped as she heard her little brothers voice.

"Well, isn't that a little understandable? I mean.. the amount of paper work I'm going to have to do about this.."

"Oh it's a hard knocked life."

"James!" She jumped as he strolled in.

"This place is a mess Reece. Ever heard of a vacuum, or polish and a cloth?" He joked as he took a place on her sofa.

"James, where have you been? We were worried sick!" Teresa said, sitting up and leaning in to hug her brother.

"I wasn't."

"Shuttup Daniel" James and Lisbon said spontaneously. She smiled inwardly- they were going to start _that_ again.

"You to Teresa? This dude wants to play imposing father figure with you!" He laughed as he sat on the single seat over on the other side of the room.

"I just want for you to be happy- and safe- Teresa. I never meant to impose. Last week, I dunno what got into me. I just.. I just can't remember the last time you were this helpless!" Tears clouded his vision.

"Hey don't cry James! I am not helpless, look I can dance and everything!" She stood and wiggled her bum before falling to the floor in a heap. All three of them began laughing so hard there was barely time to breathe.

"Great dancing sis. Never seen better." James said as he rolled around the floor.

"Oh yeah. That was like winning strictly come dancing good" Daniel agreed as he too, rolled around the floor in fits of uncontrollable laughter.

"EW!" James jumped up, his hand stained in his sisters blood from a patch on the floor that hadn't quite dried yet. Lisbon chuckled as she stood, reaching for the now ringing landline.

"Hello?" She said down the phone line.

"Lisbon, it's La Roach. You need to come into work."

"Why? Is one of my team hurt.. I mean.. Beside Van Pelt?"

"No, you just need to come in before Jane gets arrested. Oh and we need need to question you on the happenings of Tuesday 5th February."

"Why do you want to know more about the abduction? I already gave my statement."

"Please, Lisbon I don't feel comfortable talking about this over the phone."

"I'll be there is twenty minutes, Boss."

XXX

The workers of the office cleared a path, stared and gasped as Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon strolled into the office, followed closely by two huge men. They looked pissed. Lisbon didn't look to pleased either. Her hair was tied back in a quick pony tail, and it danced as she walked into the bullpen. La Roach was waiting for her, her team sitting with their heads buried in case files. Jane sat on the sofa, his hands cuffed behind his back.

"What's going on here?" Lisbon spat, as she entered the office.

" Your team is out of control. They will be put on suspension if you cannot reason with me, and explain to me why they would have followed such an idiotic plan. In fact, if you cannot do so, then all 3 of them will be arrested."

"On what terms?" James took a step towards.

"James."

"On what terms?" His voice was dripping in frustration.

"Fraud, harassment and assault of a police officer."

"I don't give a damn what they've done, La Roach. They caught the killer, didn't they?" Her team nodded. "Then this wont stand in any court. You won't put them on suspension because you have no right to do that, unless you put me on suspension too, which you also wont do as I haven't done anything wrong. So unless you have anything else to say, uncuff Jane and get the hell out of my sight."

"Your statement Agent."

"I've already given it, and as you don't want to question me as a suspect, if you wanna know what happened you're going to have to look over my transcript."

"Well then, I suppose I will be on my way."

"I suppose you will."

"Thankyou agent Lisbon."

"I'll be returning to work tomorrow."

"That is your decision, Agent."

La Roach exited the room and the three boys stood, ready to explain what happened.

"No. I don't want to know. Its done, there is nothing else I can do." She directed a glare at Jane.

"Lisbon, you can't come back to work yet."

"Well apparently you cant manage without me, so, ya know, I think I should come back before you get us all fired."

"Teresa you cant do this!" James said, pulling her around. He held her shoulders and forced her to look into his eyes. "You're doing exactly what she did, and look where she is now!" Lisbon stepped out of her brother hold.

"I'm not her, James. I'm not our mother and I never will be. And you're not him. None of us ever will be."

"Do you have any idea how much I want to hit you right now? Smack some sence into you, like dad did?"

"But you wont. Because you're not our dad. You never will be James."

She turned befor he could respond and arched into her office, closing the door and blinds behind her.

She sat at her desk, putting her head in her hands, and cried.

**Authors note- This chapter was a bit uneventfull, but I needed it aas a build up for the next chapter- time for some RJ I think! ****J J xx**


	7. Chapter 7

_Previously:_

"_Do you have any idea how much I want to hit you right now? Smack some sense into you, like dad did?" _

"_But you wont. Because you're not our dad. You never will be James." _

_She turned before he could respond and arched into her office, closing the door and blinds behind her. _

_She sat at her desk, putting her head in her hands, and cried._

XXX

Patrick Jane sat on his couch, looking out upon the CBI; hearing the song. It had certainly changed since the last time he had done this. Well, no, it hadn't really. Everything went on as normal, but the people had changed. Grown. They knew what fear and pain felt like now. They had almost lost their boss; the person who holds everyone together; the glue in this masterpiece. But no one acted any differently for it. They were more aware of each other, and that was the only thing that had really changed about their day to day routines. He found it a little annoying though that they were all always keeping tabs on where everyone else was. Especially Lisbon. The team was always looking out for Lisbon.

She had pretty much recovered from her time spent with Red John. Though her shoulder still played up from time to time, and she couldn't stand for more than a few hours, the only things that had changed about her that was obvious to the untrained eyes were the scars on her cheeks. Two thin lines going from her cheekbones the corners of her lips. She usually put a little concealer on them, but her doctor advised that she try and steer clear of the makeup as often as possible. She didn't want to risk infection.

He looked across the bullpen to see Lisbon doing paperwork in her office. Probably about him, on their last case. _God, I had made a mess of that one_ he thought, looking at the stress line forming between her eyebrows. Her brothers had returned home a few days after she returned to work, seeing that their sister was more than capable of taking care of herself. They still called to check in every once in a while though. _Why can't they be in the same room for five minutes without arguing? _He thought, as he saw her reaching for the now ringing phone. Must have been her brother. _Probably James. That kid is way too protective of her. Can't say I blame him though…_

"We've got a case. Looks like a hot one at that." Lisbon said, strolling into the office. _OK, maybe not her brothers, Patrick thought, standing up._

"_Oh?" Cho asked._

"_Yeah. It looks like Red John too." Lisbon stole a glance at Jane._

"_Looks like?" He asked. "Either it is Red John, or it isn't Red John.."_

"_It is the Red John style, but there are a few differences to the usual. It breaks the pattern."_

"_What differences?" Cho asked._

"_Well…"_

"_Spit it out Lisbon." Rigsby joined in._

_She looked at Jane. "There was DNA evidence left behind." _

_XXX_

_Jane jumped out of the CBI van as he had done a month ago today. But today, he felt differently about it. Last time, there was a sense of horror and miss use. But today… It was replaced with excitement and fear. Was he about to uncover the and that killed his wife and child? Kidnapped and tortured his slightly-more-than-best-friend-slightly-less-than-lover? Was this the end?_

"_What was the evidence?" Jane asked, stopping abruptly._

"_Jane.."_

"_What was the evidence, Teresa?"_

"_She.. She turned the knife back on him. His blood is everywhere, we got a bloody handprint and the murder weapon."_

_Jane's mouth opened as he rushed into the building, to confirm what Lisbon had said._

_There was blood everywhere- more than just the victims. There was a clear finger pattern and hand print on the wall, that was way too big to be the victims. And there was the knife. _

_It had blood on it- so much blood. Some was old and flaky whereas other pieces were still sticky. He could see fingerprints on it from here, where Red John's hand had been hotter than the cold steel._

"_The coronor has confirmed that there is blood from 1998 on it. This contains the blood of at least 43 people on it. They think that.. They think that is the knife he used on all his victims. That includes me." Lisbon said wearily._

"_Have you figured out who he is then? With your damned evidence?" He said, turning to leave the house._

"_Yeah. They think they know who it is. He didn't turn up for work today, either so it coincides with the whole stabbed and wounded thing."_

_He stopped at this. They knew. They knew who Red John was. They were going to catch him. They were going to kill him. He was going to kill the man who chopped up his family- ruined his life._

"_Who is he?"_

_XXX_


	8. Chapter 8

_Previously:_

"_Yeah. They think they know who it is. He didn__'__t turn up for work today, either so it coincides with the whole stabbed and wounded thing.__"_

_He stopped at this. They knew. They knew who Red John was. They were going to catch him. They were going to kill him. He was going to kill the man who chopped up his family- ruined his life._

"_Who is he?__"_

XXX

The CBI team sat in silence in Lisbon's office. Silence. Not an awkward silence. In fact, in the last few years they had learnt everything about each other-they didn't need words. There were no words for this. This new revelation. The discovery of Red John's identity. They should be partying, aster having arrested the bastard and beaten a confession out of him. But no. This one had hit close to home. Their friend. Red John. Those two words just shouldn't have been put together. They shouldn't have been put in this possession. It shouldn't have been him. It should have been a lonely neighbour who lived in his mothers basement. But no.

It wasn't a loner.

It wasn't a freak.

It wasn't a monster.

It was their _friend._

This was so wrong on so many different levels. And yet, it was right. It added up, but they had refused to see it before the DNA had shown up.

But now they had to.

Boy, they didn't like it.

Their _friend._

Red John.

Their _friend._

Their friend; their friend the killer.

This was wrong. How could it have been right? There must have been a mistake.

But there wasn't. That was the truth of it all. Somebody they had trusted. Somebody they had loved. A serial killer. That's it. Done. Nothing more to it. Their friend, the killer.

"Boss?" Van Pelt looked up, "How could he have done this? How could he have been a serial killer? How did he get away when we went to catch him?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"Van Pelt, it doesn't matter that we didn't catch him. At least, not yet. The hardest part of this is done. Now we just have to catch the psychopath."

"I just can't believe it was him. I mean who would have thought that-"

"Don't way his name, it makes him seem almost human." Rigsby cut in.

"I never liked the guy. He was always a bit of a div." Cho said.

Jane sat in the back, contemplating things. He always knew it could have been him. He wasn't at the bottom of the suspect list, but then he hadn't been at the top, either. He had fit the suspect list perfectly. It was just…. Unpredicted. A CBI, FBI agent who wanted to go into PI, was a serial killer. That didn't look good on the country's record now, did it?

"How do you feel about this Jane?" Van Pelt asked him.

"I feel like the sonofabitch is gunna die. I feel like I'm gunna kill her."

"Don't start talking crazy, of I will take you off the case." Lisbon said to Jane.

"I agree with him, Boss. That killer had got to die." Cho said.

"If Cho's in, I'm in." Rigsby said quietly.

"Me too."

"That's enough! That's enough, do you hear me? If you carry on talking like that, you will be taken off the case too. We aren't in this for personal matters. Our goal is to catch and lock up Red John. That's it. Not killing." Lisbon spoke, standing up.

"What about me? What am I supposed to do when I see that sun of a-"

"ENOUGH! Listen it's been a rough day. Go home, get some sleep and I will see you back here at 7AM tomorrow morning. Don't do anything stupid." She said, pulling up the file of papers she was going to have to do.

"What about you, boss?" Cho asked, standing up.

"I'll stay here, finish some forms. Nothing great." She replied.

"Will you go home?"

"Maybe. Probably not. Don't worry about me, go home, get some rest." She smiled and began writing on one of the forms that sat in front of her.

"Boss, just go home. There's nothing you can do here."

"Guys, seriously, don't worry about me! Now get outta here!"

"Not until you come."

"That wasn't a request, Cho. Now get outta here before I fire your ass!"

"Fine. Com'on guys." He walked out of the room. Rigsby, Van Pelt and Jane followed him.

"Does she always stay this late? I mean, it's already midnight, and I doubt she will finish that in an hour or two…"

"Yeah, she does. Most nights when we're closing a case she goes home at 4 or 5 in the morning, showers, changes, eats and comes in."

"Dayum" Rigsby chuckled.

"That's dedication." Van Pelt added.

"And that's why I failed at being a senior agent." Cho finished.

"Yup." Jane concluded.

"How are you handling this Jane? I mean, we finally got him. We got Red John and it's someone you've known for years!"

"I just couldn't believe it was him."

The team started walking towards the elevvator.

"No. None of us would've guessed it."

"Yeah."

"Who would have thought it? Ray Haffner, a serial killer."

"Ray Haffner, the serial killer."

XXX

It had been a week since the identity of the infamous serial killer was revealed by DNA evidence. They still hadn't caught him, but they were sure that they were close. Ha. It even made Jane laugh. It had taken them 14 years to figure out who he was, it was going to take them even longer to figure out _where._ Patrick Jane sat, studying Haffner's files to see if he could clue out where the injured agent would have gone. Nope. Nothing. He chucked the file on the floor next to the sofa, sighing and looking back up. There was that endless song playing in his head again. The typing, the page turning, the eating, the pouring of coffee. The tune. Still playing. Still changing. It was stuck on loop and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He stood and stormed up to his attic. God this could drive him crazy.

"What's wrong with him?" he heard Lisbon ask as he took the stairs 3 at a time.

"Dunno" Cho replied.

Lisbon followed him up into the attic. Since her last visit, things had only gotten worse. There were 3 suits laid out and ready lying on the bed. His back sat next to those, with shaving utensils, pyjamas- who knew he had those?- more suits. The wall was covered with even more names and pictures, but now there was a special place reserved for Ray Haffner. It put him in the place of the murder at the time of every murder. Including Angela and Charlotte's .

"Who, you starting a investigation of your own up here?" She asked as he chuckled halve-heartedly.

"Yeah, Pretty much got the case closed up here."

"Jane, as a friend, this looks bad."

"Lisbon, as a friend, the fact that you haven't slept in 3 days looks even worse."

"Really? _You _are gunna tell _me _off for lack of sleep?" He chuckled at this.

"What do I owe the pleasure of your lovely visit, Lisbon?" He said. She sat on the bed next to him, looking up towards her consultant.

"I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be."

"I am." She replied. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm worried about all of us, Lisbon. Van Pelt, Rigsby, Cho… you."

"What?" She laughed. "Why are you worried about me? Come on Jane, you know it's my job to put myself in dangerous situations, that's not your fault. I don't want you going and-"

He leaned in and crushed his lips against hers, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"That's not why I'm worried."

He stole her lips again.

XXX


	9. Chapter 9

_Previously:_

_He leaned in and crushed his lips against hers, pulling her into a passionate kiss._

"_That__'__s not why I__'__m worried.__"_

_He stole her lips again._

XXX

He kissed moved his lips of off hers, before nurturing the most tender spots on her neck. _God she is beautiful, _he thought. They had moved into a position which featured Lisbon laying underneath Jane. He had started to roll up the hem of her shirts as she clung onto the collar of his as if clinging for her dear life.

Jane.. Jane stop." Lisbon said, pushing him off of her.

"Why? What's wrong Teresa.. I love you, and I presume the feelings are mutual" he chuckled, leaning back in to kiss her once more.

"I do Jane.. But we can't.. it's against the rules, and I give a damn about my job" she stood, pushing him off of her once more.

"Screw the rules, I'll leave. I'll pack up and go, but I want you Teresa. I don't give a damn about Red John, or revenge or the CBI. I'll leave, find a new job and we can be together. Please. I love you, Teresa." He pulled her into a hug. _She smells as good as she looks_, he thought, inhaling her sent as he gripped her tighter.

"No. I can't do that. I can't make you leave your job, I can't make you leave this." She motioned towards the Red John files, sitting across from them. "I can't get into a relationship with you knowing that you could hate me forever for making you move on when you weren't ready."

"Teresa.."

"No. I'm sorry, Jane. I really am." She closed her eyes and turned, walking out from the room.

"Teresa…" He stepped out, but it was too late. She had already walked from the room. He could hear her footsteps as she practically sprinted out of the loft area that he had inhabited. _Why can't she see how much I love her?_

"God, you are an idiot." He spoke quietly to himself.

Of course. HE couldn't just spring himself on her like that! He was going to have to show her his love, lay it out for her on a golden platter

_I, Patrick Jane, hereby state my love for Teresa Lisbon. I will win her love before the month is out. I will show her my love for me. Starting with this._ He slipped his wring of, leaving it on the desk next to him.

Then everything went black.

XXX

Teresa Lisbon ran through the hospital. Of course she had heard what had happened. Her consultant, Patrick Jane, had been involved in an explosion at the CBI HQ. Her consultant, Patrick Jane, had been the victim of a tragic explosion less than 10 minutes after she had left the room, left the CBI to go and get coffee. No-one else had been hurt- just Jane. It was him that had been targeted. It was him that had been hurt. It was him that was lying in critical condition in a hospital. It was her who would have been dead if she hadn't left the room five minutes earlier.

"Is he OK?" She asked as she ran into the room her agents were waiting in. Van Pelt had a single tear running down her face as she leaned against Rigsby. He seemed to be lost in his own world. _Even Cho looked a little worried_, she thought, a horrible pit of despair growing within her. Cho stood.

"There was a bomb under his bed in the loft. It only hurt him, but the blowback was big- the walls didn't cave in, so the explosion did. He's in surgery now. It.. It doesn't look good."

She took a breath and sat, steadying herself. _Yes, I could defiantly be dead right now. So could Jane. _

"Where was he, in the loft?"

"Near the door. Looks like he was pacing. But all the files on Red John and his little scribe on his victims were incinerated." He spoke, sitting back down.

"So was this a target at Jane, or those case files?" She said, putting her head in her hands.

"Boss, we can't do this! We can't sit here and talk about this as if it were any other case!" Van Pelt said quietly.

"We have to act as if it was another case, Van Pelt. We have to catch the bastard that did this."

"We already know who this is. It has to be Red John. So to catch the bastard we catch Red John."

"Lets not jump to assumptions."

"Lets step back and take a while off. We can't do this one! Wait until Jane is better then come back in." She replied.

"Van Pelt, who is the boss here? I agree that it is probably Red John, but we have to continue working this case."

"I agree with her. We need to take a break. Just a day or two then come back in with a fresh set of eyes." Cho finished.

"I agree, Boss. We aren't gunna get anything tonight." Rigsby concluded.

"Fine. But I want you back in day after tomorrow." She said stubbornly, as a doctor walked in.

"Patrick Jane?" He said, looking towards the agents who nodded and flashed their badges. "He has just come out of surgery. He wont be getting any visitors until tomorrow, so I would advise that you go home, get some rest and come back in to see him then. Patrick is stable, and no more procedures or operations will take place tonight." He said, turning as they thanked him. The agents started making the way through the hospital.

"Boss?" Van Pelt asked as they got to the car park.

"Yes, Grace?" She turned towards the younger agent.

"You said we could have the few days off work. You never said anything about yourself, does that mean you're going back to work?" She asked, embarrassed that she cared that much about her boss.

"Yeah. I need to check this out. don't worry about me, go home and get some rest. I want you all to have a fresh set of eyes by the time that you come back to work on Monday. Got it?" She smiled as she stepped into the CBI car. Cho put his hand on the inside of the door before she could she could shut it and drive away.

"Go home boss." Cho said simply. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I didn't realise you were the senior agent, Cho?" She returned.

"There is nothing else you can do in the office tonight. Too noisy." Rigsby finished.

"Guys, I'm fine, and there is loads of paperwork waiting for me. I wont make it too late." She flashed her best fake smile and pulled away.

"She's not going home tonight, is she?" Cho asked Van Pelt.

"Nope."

"Defiantly not."

They went their separate ways, not knowing that the next time they saw each other would either be at Patrick Jane's funeral, or Red Johns.


	10. Chapter 10

Previously:

They went their separate ways, not knowing that the next time they saw each other would either be at Patrick Jane's funeral, or Red Johns.

XXX

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _The machines worked, creating havoc around him, holding the balance of life. Of his life. He could hear shuffling around the bed, that of people deep asleep. _How are they sleeping with this racket?_ He thought, as he brought his hand to his eyes. A tube stopped him. _What? _He opened his eyes to see countless tubes and wires around the bed he lay on. Lisbon, Van Pelt and Cho were all huddled up on a chair- not together, they had a chair each- and fast asleep. Rigsby had obviously gone home to take care of Ben. There was a bag of blood up to his left, sitting next to a bag of water and a morphine dispenser. HE groaned as he began to try and sit up, waking his friends and colleges.

"Jane?" Lisbon asked as she flew to his arms. Her hair was tied in a loose bun above her head, and she looked pale- not just, me-and-the-sun-don't-go-well-together pale, but oh-my-God-my-best-friend-is-dying-and-if-I-had-left-the-room-thirty-seconds-earier-I-would-be-in-this-possision-too-and-there-is-nothing-I-can-do-about-it pale. She was wearing the same blazer, t-shirt and trousers she had been wearing the last time he remembered having seen her. Seconds later, Van Pelt and Cho came up to his sides. They had changed, and had obviously been home since this had happened (whatever _this_ was) whereas Lisbon had not.

He groaned as she lay a hand on his arm. _God she is beautiful, _he thought, as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Lis… Lisbon…. What.. What happened?" He asked as he tried once more to run his eyes.

"Jane, don't. You're attached to a tube, you'll pull it out." She said, pushing his arm back onto the bed. "You were caught in an explosion. It.. It looks like you were targeted Jane." She said cautiously.

"Red.. Red John?" He asked, sitting up properly. Van Pelt looked down and Cho turned to go sit back down. Lisbon nodded.

"We arrested someone in the bomb division, a mole. He put it up there and set a time. It looks like Red John was trying to get me too, he knew I would be up there, just thought I would have stayed longer." She blushed, remembering the reason that she didn't stay as long as Red John thought he would have. Van Pelt frowned.

"Mr. Jane? Glad to see you are awake." A young nurse walked in, wiggling her hips a little too much. She was obviously putting on a show for both the blonde consultant and the Korean agent. Neither fell into the trap.

"Your blood pressure is fine, but you have a few breaks from the blow-back. You should be out of here in a few days, but you will have to see what the doctor says," she smiled and walked out, displaying her huge butt to the agents. They laughed at her desperation.

"Well." Van Pelt said, a grin on her face. "What did you think of her?" She laughed as both the Korean agent grimaced, then laughed even harder as she saw Jane had fallen asleep.

"I think we should give him a minute." Cho spoke up as he left the room, Van Pelt on his tail.

"Lisbon," he said, looking at the senior agent.

"Well, pretending to be asleep, that just wont do, Jane." She laughed as his eyes widened.

"We need to talk about what happened," he said putting his hand on hers. She pulled it away instantly.

"Jane.."

"Please, Teresa, I love you." He intertwined their fingers.

"We can't, I…. We can't" She wiped a tear from her face as she rushed out of the room.

XXX

**So it was a seriously short one today, but I just got back from my Nan's and I have the internet back- **_**finally**_**- along with a case of writers block. I will update as soon as I can.**


	11. Chapter 11

Folsom Lake-Chapter 11

Patrick Jane was out of hospital. That was awkward. He could barely move his left arm. That was awkward. He kept stealing glances at her. That was unbelievably awkward.

_God, why is this so awkward ? _She thought.

So she sat there, and she typed. And he sat there, and he stared. He stared with his broken arm and his out of hospital eyes.

_Why is she making this awkward? _He thought.

There was a simple answer to that. She was scared. She was scared of Red John. She was scared of Ray Haffner. She was scared of her long dead father. She was scare of the car accident that had killed her mother. She was scared of loving him.

She was scared of loosing him.

So she sat there, and she typed. He sat there, and he stared. Getting on with their day to day business. Playing their parts in the song. Adding their own twists to the poem. Making the flower on the stem that little bit brighter. They were playing their solos in the song that would move the world, writing their words in the works of the author who would never be forgotten, making a whole new species of flower for the world.

So she sat there, and she typed. He sat there, and he stared. She sat there, and she searched. He sat there, and he watched. She sat there, and she sifted through security footage, through files, through the tiniest leads to find him. He sat there, and he observed. He observed her. He observe her fingers, hitting the keyboard even faster than Van Pelt's. He observed Van Pelt looking up, to see her boss's insane skills in typing, the crazy pace that she had taken up, touch typing at a million miles an hour without dropping a sweat. Grace may have been he one with the knowledge in the cyber crimes, but she was defiantly the more determined agent, the one who would give up at nothing to serve justice, the one who had given up everything, a marriage, a child, a family, a home, to get justice.

And it was clear to them.

It was clear to every one of them why she was the boss. Throughout all of the tragedies, throughout all of the pain, throughout all of the suffering she had faced, she was strong. Strong in a way that no woman, no man, no person should have to be. She was a prodigy. She was a saint. She was the role model that they would all look up to. In future years, when they needed guidance, when they were put in a tough situation, they would ask what Lisbon would do. Even after she had faced her demise, they would know her so well they could follow in her footsteps. They could grow to be the great agent that she was. They could live up to her, if Jane didn't destroy them first.

And they knew it.

They saw it.

They saw every second of every day wearing away at her, every case draining her of a little more energy, they saw the law suits that he created causing her a little more pain.

They saw him killing her.

They saw him walking towards her office. They saw him take a deep breath before pushing the door to see the third woman he would be the death of. They saw her look up as her door opened slowly, bags forming under her eyes, her cheekbones so clear due to the loss of weight, life drained from her eyes.

What they didn't see was the gun. The actual loaded gun, that a tall old male wearing a suit that had its collars done up who was holding the gun. They didn't hear the loud, authoritarian footsteps that he gave off. They didn't hear the sway of the suit, that was cheaply made but designed to look expensive.

They didn't hear the agent walking through the office.

They didn't hear the serial killer striding toward the door of Lisbon's office.

They didn't see Red John pulling out his gun.

They didn't see Ray Haffner.

They didn't see the killer.

They didn't see him pick the gun up.

They didn't see him aim it at her head.

They did hear the three bullets. They did hear the three bullets that were fired. They did hear the three bullets that were fired, and were sure to hit their mark.

**A/N- I'm so sorry for the slow update! I've been trying to write this one as best as I can, and it doesn't come as naturally as my other story, so it took me forever to make up. Seriously, I wrote about thirty versions of this chapter, and this was the best one. I probably would have given it another week or so before I updated, to see if I could fit any more improvements in there… But thanks to Kat I decided it really had been to long since I updated. Sorry Kat! ****J J I know this was a short one… But I did really want to put emphasis on the whole did Red John kill her thing. **


	12. Chapter 12

Folsom Lake- Chapter 12.

It stopped. The CBI song, it had met it's end. To many notes had fallen out, to many words had been misspelt, to many petals had fallen off of the flower. For a brief moment, in the CBI, there was silence. Pure, and utter silence.

And then it started again.

It came back with a boom. Sudden chaos, indescribable commotion, a frenzy for the truth. All eyes were turned on him, on the man who had shot another dead. All hands rest on a gun, awaiting his next move. All people heard the others. All of the people heard the others searching for the answers they did not have.

Jan fell backwards, feeling the weight of the world on his solders. He felt the bullets ripping through the victims body. Sure, Jane, personally wasn't shot, but he felt it. He felt the bullets, he felt the noise, he felt the song, he felt it stop. He felt it all.

And it was over.

It was all over.

Done.

Just like that.

Jane looked up at the man holding the gun. He looked at the man he had known for years, a man he had trusted. The man who saved her life.

Cho.

He was the one who had been on his feet. He was the one who had not been so submerged in their boss's love life that he hadn't noticed the serial killer that had strolled in. He was the one who had saved her life.

And now he lay there.

Dead.

Red John was dead.

Red John was dead, and he had saved her.

He had saved her.

Cho had saved her life.

But he was dead.

Red John was dead.

**A/N- Another short one, but I wanted the emphasis… So I'm not sorry it was so short :D :D **


	13. Chapter 13

Red John was dead.

He was dead.

After everything. After all of his obsessive work. After all of the sleepless nights. After all of the plans that went wrong. After all of the sacrifices he had made. Just like that.

He was dead.

Ray Haffner was dead. Red John was dead.

Cho killed Red John.

XXX

"Agent Cho, can you justify you're actions?" Another news reporter asked, as the team, quite shocked, stood in front of the camera crews. Each agent had been riddled down by the reporters, each on a different aspect of the case.

"At the time, I felt it necessary to remove the serial killer from the equation, for the protection of my boss, and my team alike." Cho spoke easily.

"Agent Lisbon, can you tell us why it took so long for your team to catch Red John?" Yet another asked. She sighed.

"It can be difficult to catch killers as methodical and careful as Ray Haffner was, but when we came together, as a unit, things became clearer, and our expertise together helped catch the killer. The fact that he was an agent inside of the CBI meant that evidence was being destroyed, and critical things were being missed because of the directionality of Hafffner's actions, and the course he put us on. We believed him as we had to. In the job, you have to trust everyone you work with, or things fall apart. People get killed, if there is no inner unit co-operation and trust. It is in each agent's best interest to trust their co-workers, and it is unfortunate when a betrayal like this occurs. It hurts us all when things like this happen, because it's like realising a member of your family wasn't who you thought they were. It is a huge betrayal, and the fact that he was a member of the CBI family means that security will be getting tighter. Background checks will be done by the CBI personally. Each agent will be reviewed, new or old. This kind of thing will not happen again. We will not be betrayed like this again." Lisbon spoke strongly, her team standing proudly behind her. Melancholy took over them as the word betrayal came up.

Because it was a betrayal. It was a betrayal of trust. It was a betrayal of loyalty. It was a betrayal.

Ray Haffner was a betrayal.

At every angle, in every way, he was a monster of a man. He had taken everything they had and stuck it in the washer cycle. He had drowned them of everything. He had taken all of their worth, he had taken everything they had built up, and thrown it away, just to get at Patrick Jane.

It all came down to that.

Sure, he was a pain in the ass. Sure he was a stupid, reckless consultant, but he didn't deserve any of this. Charlotte and Angela didn't deserve any of this. He didn't deserve for every single day to be eating a little more at his soul. They didn't deserve to have had their lives cut so short. He didn't deserve the pain he had put himself through. They didn't deserve the way their lives had been ended, the way their bodies had been disrespected. He didn't deserve the guilt Haffner had lay upon him. They didn't deserve the way their bodies had been disregarded by the officers, the way they had looked at the little girl and tutted, said it was a shame. He didn't deserve Red John. They didn't deserve Red John.

No one deserved Red John.

But now he was dead. Thanks to Cho, who was now king of the CBI thanks to him killing Red John. Thanks to Rigsby, for putting all else aside, putting his child in the was of harm to catch the son of a bitch. Thanks to Van Pelt for spending endless hours working on her computering skills. Thanks to Jane, for never giving up. Thanks to Lisbon's determination, thanks to her sacrifices, thanks to her willingness to loose everything she had in the search for this demon, that she had hidden so well from her team.

That was what it came down to.

She was the reason they had caught Red John. Of course, they all factored into it, but Lisbon had an almost suicidal willingness to loose everything for justice. Thanks to her willingness to give up everything she had built up for herself, willing to pull down all of her walls, to save them all. Thanks to the fact that she was a much better liar than they all gave her credit for. Thanks to the fact that she had gotten good at hiding things from them, over the years, and they hadn't noticed what she had given up in the hunt for the monster. Thanks to her eternal, undeniable love for Jane. That, accompanied with the teams individual skills, where the things that stopped the killer. They, pulled together, stopped him.

As a team.

"Lisbon?" Her team- minus Jane- followed her into her office.

"That's me." She looked up and smiled, as she looked at the stack of paper work waiting for her.

"We know what you.." "We mean.."

"We just wanted to say-" They looked at each other.

"Okay.. Spit it out…" She looked at them, frowning.

"We know what you gave up. You think you hid it from up, and well.." Van Pelt began.

"You did-" Rigsby continued.

"For a while-"

"But in the last few months, we noticed. We saw how much you gave up to catch him, how you put yourself in the face of danger to protect us." Lisbon raised her eyebrows at Cho. "We wanted to say thanks. Thankyou for giving that up for us, and we're sorry we didn't notice quicker." "But.. Well.. Boss we're worried. About Jane." Van Pelt continued.

"I know. I know what's happening. I'm a agent too, Van Pelt. I see it as well, even if I don't always show it. And I'm working on it. I will make sure he is ok. He will be, in a while. Just give it time." She smiled at the people who depended on her, even if they didn't realise it.

She, for all intense purposes, a parent to them. She was their role model. She was what they all aspired to be.

And that was why they were relying on her now. They were relying on her to bring Jane back, give him a reason to live, no matter what the cost.

**A/N- I'm sorry for the slow update! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, but I think I will be drawing this fic to an end soon. Maybe another chapter or two? Reviews pleaseee! **


	14. Chapter 14

Folsom Lake- Chapter 14

This was going to be difficult. Standing there, waiting for him. Pretending as if she didn't know that he knew she was out there. Making more sacrifices, for his sake.

No. Not for him. Not just for him.

For her. Because she needed this. She needed this every bit as much as he did. She needed to end her suffering, her isolation, her alienation. She needed the endless circle of fire; of passion; of anger; of fury; of love. She needed to feel the burning desire in her heart released. She needed him.

Because that's how the world works. You put yourself through the pain, through the anguish, through the dread, through the hurt for a reason. An idiotic reason, a irrational reason, a illogical reason. You do it to feel the love. The love of another. The love that turns to passion; the passion that turns to anger; the anger that turns to fury; the fury that turns to love. Like the circle of life, it is never-ending. It is a long, tedious never ending cycle that we all put ourselves through. We all put ourselves through it, no matter what the consequences. The scientific definition of insanity is repeating the exact same test over and over and expecting a different result. We are all scientifically insane.

Or at least, we would be. We would be if we always got the same result. But we don't. Sometimes all we feel is the fire, the anger, the fury. Sometimes the bad outweighs the good. Sometimes, in our most lost and desperate moments, we feel as if we cant pull ourselves up, get out of the vicinity of the black hole that sucks us in so deep. That is when people are at their worst. That is what will be the end of humanity. When we cant see a clear reason to try again, to jump back into the volcano because the bad outweighs the good.

But there is a reason. There is a reason to jump back out of the frying pan, back into the fire. Every single time, there is a reason. We don't do it for nothing. We don't risk everything for nothing. Because when the good outweighs the bad, when the fury and the anger go away, just for a split second, everything is clear. Because every once in a while, we have that. We have happiness, we find love. And we grasp onto it, like we should. Because that's all we have. When people ask what the meaning to life is, they cant see this. They cant see how when the good outweighs the bad, there is a reason. There is a reason for everything because we love, and we are loved. We hate, and we are hated.

And she knew that. She knew the reason to life, the reason for life, for her life when she looked at the hard metal between herself and her reason for living. The thing that would keep her sane yet drive her mental at the same time. The thing that would make her question everything, and expect nothing in return. The thing that would blind her and yet, it would make her see. The man she loved, the man she would love.

A great man once said, all is fair in love and war. Their war was over, and now all was left was love. All that was left was the endless circle of fire. And this time, this time there was just that remote possibility that it would work out. That they would find happiness. That the good would outweigh the bad.

Taking a deep breath, it came to her. Her reason, his reason. The reason for everything they had done, and everything they would do. Like a Buddhist who had just seen the light, she knew. She knew what she had to do to give him life, she knew what she had to do to save him.

Her hands were strong and steady, her heartbeat slow as she opened the door to his lair for all intense purposes. Her head was held high as she walked in slowly, quietly. Her eyes were full of affection when she saw his face. The face of her reason. The face of her existence. The face that would give her the happiness and love she craved for.

Patrick Jane.

That was what this all came down to. They needed each other. They needed the love, the happiness, the anger, the passion, the fury that they could provide for each other. They needed the love that would come from their relationship. They needed each other.

They loved each other.

He knew it too. He knew what to expect when he saw her marching in. He knew what was coming. He knew what she wanted, he knew what she craved. He knew her.

He stood, his eyes showing light, showing the emotions, showing the man inside himself tht he had hidden so well inside of himself to protect them all. His face showed the love he had felt for his wife. His face showed the love he had felt for his daughter.

His face showed the love that he felt for her.

She stepped forwards, closing the gap between them. He did the same. They were only inches from each other now.

The scientific definition of insanity is repeating the exact same test over and over, expecting a different result. And they were insane.

But they weren't scientifically insane.

They were insane to love each other. They were insane to feel this way. They were insane to have kept it pentad up for so long. They were insane to be in the positions they were in now.

But they weren't scientifically insane.

They weren't scientifically insane because they were changing things. They were changing the test, and to change a variable means to change the results. To change the test means to get a new answer.

So they knew.

They knew they weren't scientifically insane.

He knew they weren't scientifically insane when he put his hands on her waist. She knew they weren't scientifically insane when she looked into his eyes. They knew they weren't scientifically insane when their lips touched.

They knew they weren't scientifically insane when their lips touched and fireworks started going off, somewhere in the distance. They knew they weren't scientifically insane when the world stopped for them. They knew they weren't scientifically insane when they broke the circle. When they stopped feeling the pain. When they stopped feeling the anger. When they stopped feeling the fury. They knew they weren't scientifically insane when the good outweighed the bad, and all was clear.

That was what it came down to.

Love.

Their tedious, never ending circle that gave them the love, gave them the happiness that they lust for. Their reason for existing. Like a clichéd love film that no on really wants to watch. Like a valentines day we are all secretly dreading for fear of not getting anything in return.

They gave each other a reason. They gave each other life. They stopped the nightmares. They took away the pain. They confided in each other. They hated each other. They were passionate about each other. They would give up anything for the other.

They were in love.

**A/N- I'm really sorry this chapter was so soppy.. :) :) I'm pretty sure this is the last chapter, although I will probably put up an epilogue. Reviews to spur me on? **


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue.

The birds chirping, the wind flowing through their hair, the children playing. In that moment, all was perfect. In that moment, they had no worries, no fears, no pain and no misfortune.

They were happy.

Just the two of them. Nothing mattered, but them. And that was the way it should be.

"We only have a few more minions to put away." She whispered, her head resting against his shoulder. They sat in each others embrace against a tree in the park, over viewing the play park.

"I know." He smiled into her hair. They may not have any children in that play park yet, but there was definatly one on the way, no matter how much she tried to hide it with baggy clothed. "And you know the team will start asking questions if you don't tell them soon?"

"I will.. I just… I need some time…" She closed her eyes.

"Am I keeping you up?" He laughed. "Your worried, aren't you? About what, may I ask?"

"Jane.. It's just.." She looked up at him. "If it's a girl.." "If it's a girl I will love her just as much I love her mother. You don't need to worry about that. The past is in the past, and I will never forget Charlotte and Angela, but I wont let them ruin my chances at a new family, a new life." He pulled her closer.

"Lets not worry about that now." She smiled inhaling his scent.

No more words were said on that perfect day, because no more words were needed on that perfect day. They weren't in a perfect relationship, but who is? He was still a pain in the ass, she was still preparing herself for the trainwreck that he was going to make sure didn't come. They balanced each other out, and that was what kept them going. Nothing more, nothing less.

Of course, now she was going to have to find a loop hole in the system so tat both Rigsby and Van Pelt could stay in her team, now that they were openly engaged. She and Jane got away with it as consultants weren't mentioned in the rule about no fraternizing. She would deal with that later.

She took a deep breath. This.. It wasn't perfect. Nothing ever was.

But this was damn close.

**A/N-** **So this is it! I hope you enjoyed it, and I want to say thankyou to everyone who reviewed! **

**bpender18, JuliaAlexa, Sisterspy, SarcasamAndAPen, holmesy, tiva auggie and annie hp fan, CookiesForMe, Marcia Santos, Hayseed Socrates, all of the guests and most of all Jane Doe51 -Thankyou! **


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